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Rethinking Rental in a Crisis

Rent the Runway chief executive Jennifer Hyman told BoF VOICES her strategy to make the rental model work post-pandemic.
Jennifer Hyman.
Jennifer Hyman.

The pandemic was a near-death experience for Rent the Runway, the business that introduced and popularised renting fashion on a wide scale in the US. As consumers stopped heading to offices and events, chief executive Jennifer Hyman was left wondering: “Will my business still be relevant after Covid?” The executive had to make difficult decisions, fast, laying off and furloughing staff and cutting spending.

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